(Image source from: x.com/WeAreTeamIndia)
"Khel khatam nahi hua, abhi bahut kuch baaki hai." These were the words of Neeraj Chopra after he bagged a silver medal in the final of the men's javelin throw event that took place at the Paris Olympics 2024. If you are wondering why it “hangs”? Well, this is the fame that this man named Golden Boy Neeraj Chopra has earned over the years. Late on Thursday evening, India waited breathlessly and full of pride for the Olympic final at the Stade de France. The last few days have been tough, especially after Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the 50kg final for being 100g overweight. The country has suffered many heartaches, with the Indian team finishing fourth in many disciplines at the Paris Olympics. The Indian hockey team overcame a series of disappointments to win its second Olympic medal in 52 years by winning the bronze medal. The healing was still ongoing as they knew what Neeraj could do. In athletics, the Indians had a disappointing performance, except for Avinash Sable, who finished 11th in the 3000m diving final. Neeraj was hoping for compensation for the track and the team.
While Indians may be used to eliminating other players and then moving on, that wasn't the case with Neeraj. This is only due to his success in javelin throwing competitions. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. He is also a World, Asian and Commonwealth Games champion. In 2023, he became the first Indian to win a gold medal at the World Athletics Championships. Neeraj Chopra won the Zurich 2023 final with a throw of 88.44m and is also the first Indian to win the Diamond League trophy. But finally, it was a day off for world champion and Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra. He received a rapturous welcome from a packed stadium of Indians, who turned out in usual numbers to support the country's biggest bid for Olympic gold. As the audience got excited, Neeraj also got excited. When it was time for the first round, he raised his hands and urged the crowd to make more noise. The audience and billions of Indians who had tuned in to watch the Haryana-born athlete were on their feet. He marks his position and only runs when he makes the first mistake. Even before the spear lands, you can tell from Neeraj's face where the spear will land. Not only Neeraj but also his close friend Arshad Nadeem was fouled in the first attempt as time expired.
However, their fate will change in the second round. Arshad, a tall and thin man, came and threw his spear, which landed 90 meters above the ground, shocking and overwhelming everyone with what he had just done. He broke the Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 meters and Neeraj had no intention of stopping him. His throw was 89.45 m, which was his best throw of the season and second overall. He was as excited and motivated as he should be and the two Asian teams took the top two spots. As Neeraj entered the field, Indian fans were supposed to be silently shouting 'Go 90m' from their mobile phones and television screens at 1am, but it all turned out to be a mistake. If you don't believe what you see or read. Consider Neeraj. Even he couldn't do it. His last four throws were all errors, and he screamed and looked frustrated. However, his second throw of 89.4 meters proved to be the “silver line” and this monster throw was enough to win the Olympic silver medal. Except Neeraj and Arshad, none of the other athletes could even reach 89 meters.
Neeraj was aiming to become the fifth athlete in Olympic history to defend his javelin throw title and the first Indian to win two gold medals in an individual event. This time, however, he was sure to win the silver medal. He was the first player to change the color of India's bronze medals, increasing the number of medals to five. He generously accepted the silver medal, proclaimed the day as a “holiday” in his office and congratulated Arshad Nadeem on the gold medal. However, Neeraj lamented that he missed many events this year and had to compete in the run-up to the 2024 Paris Olympics due to an injury. The 26-year-old said: “The last two or three years have not been very good for me. I'm always hurt. I have worked hard, but I need to improve my injuries (to avoid injuries) and my technique".
Neeraj's preparations for the 2024 Paris Games were hampered by an adductor problem, forcing him to miss the Strava Golden Spikes. The Indian javelin thrower had said in his previous interview that adductor problems have been plaguing him for the past few years and he would consult a doctor after the Paris 2024 Games. “Due to my groin injury, I couldn't throw much in training. But I want to do my best in the future.” Maybe With his highest place on the podium, he once again brought smiles to billions of Indians. “I have a medal and a tricolor. I'm really happy. There is a lot to do. I have been struggling with injuries for a long time and have barely been able to compete.” If we can correct my mistakes. “Working on it, it’s great,” Neeraj told the Paris Olympics broadcaster.
